Nostra Aetate 50 years on

(ANSA) - Vatican City, December 10 - The dialogue between Christianity and Judaism is incomparable to dialogue with any other faith because of Christianity's Jewish roots, a document published on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-Christian religions Nostra Aetate said Thursday.
    Jesus can be fully comprehended only within the Jewish context of his time, the document prepared by the Vatican Commission of religious relations with Judaism added.
    There have been major steps forward in Christian-Jewish dialogue since the Nostra Aetate declaration issuing from the second Vatican Council was published, the document read.
    Thus, the relationship has moved from one of distant co-existence to deep friendship and the Catholic Church does not have any institutional mission aimed at converting Jews, the document read. Further, Catholics and Jews must work together to promote justice and peace and protect creation and to fight effectively against all forms of anti-Semitism. In addition, they must strengthen their partnership in favour of the poor, weak and marginalised in order to become a blessing for the world, the document read.